Looking back on it, I can see that the same thing that made it a favorite to me as a 4 year old also made it memorable, a part of who I am as an adult. I was experiencing an important truth—God works in and through our experience. The use of my little hands and my little voice made the church come alive for me.

Now, I still think it is most exciting and most effective when we are telling our stories with our voices and our hands. When words coordinate with action, it becomes a powerful witness to us all.

I’m asking myself, are my words and my actions lining up today?  

One of the most significant things that Eddie and I have done to help us move forward financially was the decision to pay next month’s principal on our mortgage.

Early in my ministry, back in 1991, I had a colleague who had been in the finance side of business before his call to the ministry. He shared with our ministry group that there is such a thing as an amortization schedule for our house loan. He explained what it was, and how to use it. He told us that if we would simply discipline ourselves to look at the schedule, add this month’s payment with next month’s principal and write the check, that we would save next month’s interest, 100%, off the back end of the loan.

In case you don’t know, you can’t beat that return, especially at the beginning of a loan, because if you look at your amortization schedule, next month’s principal may just be 20 dollars. But, the interest might be 700 dollars. Of course, as you move further into your loan schedule, the numbers become more even. But, by then you are used to it, and you may be able to handle it. If you can handle it to the end, you will have just cut your loan in half.

Now, after you pay off your loan and you own your house free and clear, what will you do with all your extra money? It’s a nice problem to have!

After Christmas, several members of my family (my parents, my daughters, my brother Bert and 2 of his children) were blessed to be able to see Jesus’ world, the place of his birth, his life, his death, and his resurrection.

My head still spins with the recollections, visions and feelings about it. It has always been a deep desire of mine to be able to go and see for myself the places where Jesus, our savior and friend, lived and ate and cried and laughed. Now I have been, and will share with you as we go from my new storehouse of knowledge and experience.

One memory I feel ready to share occurred in Bethlehem, as we went to the site where Jesus was born. We got there early to beat the crowds, and admired this marvelous church that was built on top of this site. But just as we were ready to go down to the site, which is actually in a cave (more about this later), we were stopped and told that the cave was closed for the next 45 minutes. Our leaders decided to wait, so we all sat outside the cave entrance, and listened as the monks held mass. Their tones in Gregorian chant were beautiful, the incense drifted out to our chamber, and the swift pace of the tour was halted, if only for a few moments.

God worked in us as we prayed and worshipped outside that manger place. Time and space were transcended as we celebrated together the reality of the birth of our Lord. I’ll not forget those moments of Christmas peace.

Thank you for praying me through this trip. I know many of you lifted us up, especially as you heard about the renewed trouble in Gaza. Thank you for your support, and for sparing me these days. I felt God’s presence with me as we traveled, and tried to soak up all I could, knowing that God would work through it not just for me, but for our community in Powder Springs.

In this new year, and following a trip to the Holy Land where there is much unrest today, I am reminded of Psalm 122:6 “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; may those who love You be secure.”

Shalom,

Rev. Susan